Corn-harvester.



A. KEPLER.

GORN HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

4 SHBETS-SHEBT 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (IO-,WASHINOTON, D. c.

A. KEPLER.

CORN HARVESTER.

APPLIOATION FILED M312, 1913.

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A. KEPLER.

CORN HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED Anmz, 191s.

Patented Mar. 31; 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (IO-.WASHXNOTON, D. c.

A. KEPLER.

001m HARVBSTER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.12, 1913. 1,091,741 Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c,

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ANDREW KEPLER, OF BERWYN, NEBRA$KA.

CORN-HARVESTER.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ANDREW KnrLnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berwyn, in the county of Custer and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corn-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corn harvesters, and it has particular reference to that class of corn harvesters in which the stalks of corn are severed close to the ground, said stalks being conveyed by suitable carrying mechanism to a wheel supported platform where, when a suflicient number of stalks has been accumulated, the same are tied to form a bundle or shock which is then discharged from the machine.

The present invention has for its obj eet to produce a machine of the class described including a wheel supported frame or platform, cutting apparatus which is driven by motion transmitted from one of the support ing wheels, stalk conveying mechanism which is likewise driven from the supporting wheel of the machine and simple and improved bunching means which may be operated by operators stationed on the platform.

A further object of the invention is to produce a machine of the character described which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability and .general efliciency.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invent-ion. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the near supporting wheel having been removed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. Fig. i is a horizontal sectional detail view taken on the line 4-4 in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 12, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914:.

Serial No. 760,744.

Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view of the reel taken on the line 66 in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken through one side of the frame of the machine substantially on the line 77 in Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 88 in Fig. 2, but showing in position the supporting wheel which is omitted in Fig. 3.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The frame of the improved machine includes a platform 10 and a push tongue 11. The platform is supported at its front end by transporting wheels 12, 12, said transporting wheels being mounted for rotation on the spindles 13 of an axle 14;. Said axle is supported in slides 15 that are mounted for vertical movement in guides 16 associated with the frame and for the vertical adjustment of which jack screws 17 are provided,said jack screws operating through sleeves 18 mounted on the frame, and said jack screws having swivel connection with the slides 15, as best seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings. It will be seen that by manipulating the jack screws, the front end of the platform may be raised or lowered relatively to the supporting wheels. The push tongue 11 carries at its rear end a jack screw 19 extending vertically therethrough, said jack screw being swiveled in a yoke 20 with which a shank or bracket 21 carrying a caster wheel 22 is suitably connected to support the rear end of the tongue for vertical adjustment. It will be seen that by independent adjustment of the jack screws at the front end of the frame, and that at the rear end of the frame the said frame may be leveled when desired or tilted either downwardly and forwardly or downwardly and rearwardly, as may be desired. The front end of the machine may also be tilted laterally by independent adjustment of the jack screws regulating the supporting wheels at the front end of the machine. The machine may thus be adjusted to meet any conditions of the ground and to preserve the platform and other parts of the machine in the most advantageous position for successful operation. The push tongue supports a seat 23 for the driver or operator, and said push tongue also supports an evener 24C for the attachment of the draft.

Brackets 25 extending forwardly from the frame support a cutting apparatus which includes a finger bar 26 and a reciprocatory cutter 27, the latter being operated by a pitman 28, whereby it is connected with a wrist pin 29 on a crank disk 30 mounted on a shaft 31 which is supported for rotation in a bracket 32. The shaft 31 is driven from the transporting wheel 12 by means of a bevel gear 33 associated with said transporting wheel and meshing with a bevel pinion 34- on a short shaft 35 which is supported for rotation in a bearing 36 and which is connected with the shaft 31 by a telescopic extension shaft 37, the latter being connected with the shafts 35 and 31 by universal joints 38. The bearing 36 for the shaft 35 is formed on one of the slides 15, it being obviously necessary to preserve the pinion 34 in a constant relation to the transporting wheel 12. As the position of the slide 15 with respect to the shaft 31 varies when adjustment is made, the necessity for the telescopic connecting shaft and the universal joints becomes apparent. The slide 15 adjacent to the transporting. wheel 12 is in like manner equipped with a bearing 36 wherein is supported for rotation a shaft 35 carrying a beveled pinion 34 that meshes with a bevel gear 33 associated with the transporting wheel 12. The shaft 35 is connected by a telescopic extension shaft 37 and universal joints 38 with a shaft 39 supported in a suitable. bearing onthe frame of the machine and carrying a bevel pinion 40 meshing with a bevel pinion 41 on a shaft 42 which is thus driven. The shaft 42 drives an endless carrier 43 which is located intermediate the cutting apparatus and the platform 10, the upper portion of said end less carrier being supported by an idle roller 44, as best seen in Fig. 3. The carrier 43 is provided with flights 45 adapted to intercept and support the lower ends of stalks that are severed by the cutting apparatus and to convey the stalks in an upright or standing position on to the front end of the platform, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3.

For the purpose of supporting the stalks in an upright position while being severed and conveyed to the platform, a reel 46 is provided, said reel being equipped with a shaft 47 that is supported for rotation in heads 48 carried by approximately vertical rods 49 which are adjustably mounted in sleeves 50 carried by supporting brackets 51. The heads 48 may be adjustable on the rods 49, and the latter may be adjustable in the sleeves 50, and any suitable means may be utilized for the purposeof maintaining the parts in the variety of positions to'which they may be adjusted. The reel carrying shaft 46 has a sprocket wheel 53 which is connected by a chain 53 with a sprocket wheel 54 associated with the transporting wheel 12-" from which said reel is driven.

reel is equipped with any desired number of wings or heaters 55, and said reel is provided with partition rings 56 to confine the upper ends of the stalks and to prevent said stalks from tilting sidewise while being carried to the latform after being severed.

The platform is provided with uprights '57 supporting side rails 58 and rear rails or cross bars 59 combining to form an inclosure to receive the cut corn stalks. The topmost side rails support hooks 60 adapted to receive interchangeable and removable obstructing bars 61 which may be'placed on the top rails 58 transversely across the machine, said obstructing bars being removable and capable of being engaged with any of the hooks 60. r

The frame supports adjacent tothe platform 10 foot boards 62 and 63 which are positioned adjacent to the sides and to the rear end of the platform, respectively, to support the operators who are stationed one at each side of the machine.

At one side of the in'closure formed by the uprights 57 and the bars or rails'58 and 59 there is provided a swinging gate 64 having a latch or securing member 65 and which may be swung outward, as indicated desired to discharge a shock from the machine/ The brackets 25 that'support the cutting apparatus also serveto support a. shield 66 which extends beneath the endless conveyer tion may be used for the purpose of interrupting the transmission of motion when desired, but such clutches are wellknown in the art and do not require to be particularly illustrated or described.

In the operation of this invention, the machine is pushed over the field by the draft animals attached to the tongue by means of the evener.

The machine may be constructed of any desired dimensions to operate on a single row or on as many rows of corn as may be desired; in the drawings, a machine capable of operating on three rows simultaneously has been illustrated, and in this machine the reel is divided by the partition rings 56 into three distinct compartments, one for each row. When the stalks are severed by the cutting apparatus, the butt ends of the stalks will be engaged by the flightsof the endless conveyer 43, and the tops of the The l stalks will be engaged by the reel which is -in dotted lines in Fig. 1, when it shall be speeded in such a manner that the tops and the butt ends of the stalks will move at approximately the same speed. The stalks will thus be conveyed in an upright or standing position to the platform on which the butts will be deposited, while the tops are tilted or thrown rearward by the action of the wings of the reel, as the latter disengages itself from the tops of the stalks. The stalks will thus be delivered on the platform in a standing position with their upper ends tilted and supported on the foremost obstructing bar 61, as seen in Fig. 3. lVhen additional stalks are delivered on the platform they will be compacted thereon until present-1y the operators at each side of the machine take hold of the ends of the foremost obstructing bar and move it back to the second set of hooks 60, thus malt ing room for additional stalks. This operation may be repeated until enough stalks have been accumulated to form a shock of the desired size, when such stalks will be supported by an obstructing bar fitted in the rearmost hooks 60. A second obstructing bar may now be fitted in the foremost hooks and permitted there to remain while the shock is tied by the operators, the shock be ing finally discharged laterally from the platform by opening the gate 64, after which the operation will be permitted to proceed as before.

It will be seen that a corn harvester is provided which is extremely simple in construction and capable of being manufactured at a moderate expense, said harvester being also capable of being easily and efliciently operated with comparatively slight expenditure of labor.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a corn harvester of the class described, a platform having guides associated therewith, slides vertically movable in the guides, a wheel carrying axle supported on the slides, ground wheels on said axle, jack screws connected with the slides for the adjustment thereof, cutting apparatus supported in advance of the platform and includinga reciprocatory cutter bar, means for transmitting motion from one of the supporting wheels to said bar including a shaft supported for rotation on one of the slides, intermeshing bevel gears on said shaft and on the proximate supporting wheel, a shaft supported in a bearing on the platform, a crank disk on said shaft, a telescopic extension shaft, and universal joints connecting the latter with the crank disk carrying shaft and with the shaft supported on the slide.

2. In a corn harvester of the class described, a platform, supporting wheels for the same, means for mounting the platform for vertical adjustment with respect to the supporting wheels, a cutting apparatus supported in advance of the platform and connected with the latter, an endless conveyer supported between the cutting apparatus and the platform, a reel supported adjust ably above the endless conveyer, and means for transmitting motion from the supporting wheels to the cutting apparatus, the endless conveyer and the reel, said means including telescopic extension shafts and universal joints whereby said extension shafts are connected with the driving means and with the driven parts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREl/V KEPLER.

Witnesses i G. H. Cox, LA MOREE BESLEY.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ef Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

